Channa sundal

Channa sundal :
       A simple, tasty and healthy snack. This is also a part of many festival menu.

Ingredients :
White channa - 1/2 cup
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Asafotedia - a pinch
Oil - 1/2 Tbsp
cocunut  - 2 tbsp

Method :

1. Soak channa in water overnight or atleast 8 hours.
2. Pressure cook or boil the channa dhal with salt and water until cooked.
3. If you press it with fingers, it should be easiy and soft.
4. In a pan, add oil and when it is hot, add mustard seeds, urad dhal, curry leaves and Asafotedia and
     fry nicely.
5. Add cooked chann and mix well.
6. Add grated cocunut and mix and switch well.

Healthy sundal is ready.

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Pal Payasam

Ingredients :
Milk - 4 cup
Sabodina - 6 Tbsp
Cashews and kasthuri - 20 pieces
Vermicelli - 1 cup
Ghee - 2 Tbsp
Sugar - 1/2 cup or to taste.

Method :

1.  Soak sabodina in water for few hours.
2. In a pan add milk and bring it to boil. Once it's boiling, simmer the flame and let it sim for 30 minutes. Switch off the flame and it cool.
3. In a pan add oil and fry cashews and dry grapes.
4. Remove cashews and dry grapes in a plate and add sabodina and water and let it cook. Stir in between so that it doesn't stick to the bottom.
5. Once it is cooked, add vermicelli and let it cook. Pls note that vermicelli cooks very fast.
6. Keep stirring so that it a doesn't stick in the bottom.
7. Once it is cooked let it cool too.
8. Add Cardomom powder and sugar.
9. Once it is cooled, add milk and check for sugar.

Traditional pal Payasam is ready.

Enjoy the joy cooking.

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Panna cotta

Ingredients :
Heavy whipping cream - 2 and 1/4 cup
Confectionary sugar  - 1/2 cup
Vanilla essence 1/2 tsp
Gelatin - 1 pack unflavored powdered ( 1/4 ounce )
Cold milk - 1/4 cup

Method :

1. Add gelatin in cold milk and let it rest for sometime.
2. Meanwhile add heavy cream and sugar in sauce pan and let it boil.
3. When it starts to boil, switch off the flame. By now the gelatin will be spongy.
4. Add the spongy gelatin to the hot milk and mix well.
5. Make sure it is dissolved well. In case if it is not dissolved, put it in low flame and mix well.
6. Add vanilla essence and mix well.
7. Pour it in individual cup and refrigerate it for few hours.
8. Nice custard like dessert is ready.

Enjoy the joy of cooking.

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Brinjal fry

Ingredients :
Long brinjal - 2
Pearl onion - 3
Pepper - 3/4 tsp
Fennel seeds - 3/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 2 Tbsp or to taste
Coriander powder - 2 Tbsp
Salt to taste
Ginger garlic paste - 1 Tbsp
Oil as required

Method :

1. Grind pearl onion, pepper, fennel seeds  to paste.
2. Cut brinjal into small circles as shown.
3. Add paste from step 1.
4. Add chilli powder, coriander powder, salt, ginger garlic paste.
5. Mix well.
6. Add oil in nonstick pan, place these pieces and fry them in batches.

Brinjal fry is ready.

Enjoy the joy of cooking.

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Milagu bonda

Ingredients :
Urad dhal - 1 cup
Sliced coconut - 1 tbsp
Pepper - 3/4 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method :

1. Grind Urad dhal into a fine paste without adding much water. Add water only if required. Grind it until it doesn't stick to your hand when touched with wet hand.
2. Add sliced coconut, pepper, curry leaves and salt and mix well.
3. Add oil in a pan and heat it. Have water in a bowl.
4. Wet your hand and take a ball of urad dhal mixture. Make a ball and drop it in hot oil.
5. Turn it until it is brown on all sides.

Serve it with chutney.
It is a great evening snack.

Enjoy the joy of cooking.

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Spinach dal

Ingredients :
Toor dhal - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1/2 medium
Tomatoes - 1 medium size.
Green chilli - 2 or to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Spinach - 1 lb
Salt to taste

For seasoning :
Garlic - 3 pods
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli -1
Urad dhal - 1 tsp

Method :

1. Soak toor dhal for 10 minutes . This is because it will cook fast.
2. Put this, chopped onion, chopped tomatoes, green chilli, turmeric powder, salt and add water.
3. Pressure cook it for 3 to 4 whistles.
4. Mash it nicely.
5.  In a pan, add oil and when it is hot , add mustard seed, urad dha, red chilli, finely chopped garlic and fry nicely.
6. Add this to the cooked dhal and add little more water if needed and bring it to a boil.

Healthy and tasty spinach dal is ready.

Enjoy the joy of cooking.

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Tres Leches

      I couldn't believe myself that this is my 100th post. Looks like that's a long travel of learning, cooking and it feels great to look back.
Tres Leches :
Tres Leches, I would say is Queen of cakes. One of the yummy cake I have had.
Very simple to make too.

Ingredients :

Eggs - 4

All purpose flour - 2 and 1/4 cup

Sugar - 1.5 cup

Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp

Baking powder - 1.5 tsp

Salt - 3/4 tsp

Cold water - 3/4 cup

For the milk :

Evaporated milk - 2, 12 oz can

Condensed milk - 2, 14 oz can

Heavy whipping cream - 2, 16 oz 

Method :

1. Mix all purpose flour, salt, baking powder.

2. Add  eggs and best them until fluffy.

3. Add sugar little by little and beat nicely.

4. Mix vanilla essence in cold water.

5. Add cold water and flour mixture in parts and beating in between.

6. Pour it in a 9 by 13 bowl.

7. Preheat the oven for 325 degree .

8. Put it in the oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes clean.

9. Add all the milk together. Mix them well.

10. Once the cake is done, take it and put it outside for 5 minutes.

11. Start poking holes in the cake very close to each other while the cake is still hot as shown in 7th picture.

12. Start pouring the milk mixture on top of the cake while the cake is still hot.

13. The cake will absorb most of the milk. Even if there are milk floating, it's still ok.

14. For me, only 1/2 cup milk was left and I used it while serving.

15. Put this in the refrigerator for an overnight.

16. Make pieces and you can decorate it with whipping cream on top.

I tell you, it's so yummy. It's very rich too. Once in a while it's worth an extra mile walk for having it.

Enjoy the joy of cooking.

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